Hamilton Medical Center Goes Red For Women
2/4/2005

Contact: Keith Jennings
Phone: 272-6118

Dalton, GA - Hamilton Medical Center joins in celebrating the American Heart Association's second annual Go Red For Women Day, a day to nationally promote awareness of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women over the age of 25 in America.

On Friday, February 4, 2005, Hamilton Medical Center will Go Red For Women, asking employees to wear a red article of clothing to show support and promote awareness. Hamilton encourages women to take charge of their health in order to lead stronger, healthier lives. "Women are historically the caretakers of the family and often put themselves last for well checkups and other medical needs," said Therese White, RN, Clinical Resource Nurse, Cardiovascular Services at Hamilton Medical Center. "Even when women experience the pain of a heart attack they delay seeking treatment an average of 4 hours longer than men. We need to change that train of thought, and that is exactly the purpose of the American Heart Associations Go Red for Women Campaign."

Though many assume that heart disease primarily occurs in men, more women than men have died of cardiovascular diseases since 1984. Approximately, one out of every 2.5 female deaths has resulted from cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association statistics indicate that 92% of women are unaware of this staggering fact.

Women should know the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, which often present differently than men:

Chest pain or chest pressure is the number one complaint reported by women during a heart attack, although symptoms are often more general than men.

Back pain or epigastric pain.

Intermittent pain, as opposed to the continuous pain frequently reported by men.

Approximately 50% of women will have angina (chest pain) or pre-infarction symptoms for up to one week prior to having a heart attack.

Approximately 50% of women who die from a Heart Attack will do so within one hour of symptom onset, and before reaching the hospital.

"That is why it is vitally important for women to recognize the symptoms and act quickly," said White. To take charge of their cardiovascular health, women should make appointments for regular check ups and discuss heart health with their physicians. Other opportunities for assuring cardiovascular health include no smoking, obtaining and/or maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and eating healthy by avoiding saturated fats in your diet. Hamilton Diagnostics Center offers a Cardiac Scoring test on a self-referral basis, which identifies calcium plaque in the vessels of the heart and involves a non-invasive CT scan.

Alice K. Jacobs, M.D., FAHA President, American Heart Association said, "Hamilton Medical Center and companies across the nation are really putting their passion into action by participating in the Wear Red Day campaign. Their generosity is helping to heighten awareness and bring about positive change to defeat this major health threat." "We are providing Hamilton's patients and employees with materials on heart disease," reported Tiffany Shelton, Manager of Marketing and Community Relations. "A Cardiologist and a Radiologist will be presenting at our luncheon and answering attendee's questions."

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